The government intends to present its final financial offer to the current bus operators shortly and hopes to conclude this process by the end of the year so that the reform could move forward, Transport Minister Austin Gatt told Parliament.

He said the government was committed to giving adequate compensation to the current operators. Talks between the two sides had yielded agreement on some areas but there was still disagreement on the monetary issues, he said.

The government wanted to see the introduction of a modern bus system as there was in the rest of Europe, Dr Gatt said. It wanted to see modern air-conditioned buses with euro 3 and then euro 4 emission standards, electric or hybrid buses, punctuality, more routes, and all this practically at the same fare as at present.

Dr Gatt said the reform of the taxis sector had made good progress through talks between the two sides and he hoped the reform in this sector would be concluded next year, without any impositions.